which damaged their fleet that was present and also the one on the way, they changed their minds and though not attacking the invaders openly (for their camp was strongly guarded), they received some who had been sent out to bring in provisions on the assumption that the country was friendly, and destroyed them all, save a few, to whose rescue Caesar came with speed.  After that they assaulted the very camp of the invaders.  Here they accomplished nothing, but fared badly; they would not, however, make terms until they had been often defeated.  And Caesar properly did not intend to make peace with them, but since the winter was approaching and he was not equipped with a sufficient force to continue fighting at that season,—­moreover because his supplies had failed and the Gauls in absence had begun an uprising,—­he somewhat unwillingly concluded a truce with them, demanding this time still more hostages, but obtaining only a few.

[-53-] So he sailed back to the mainland and put an end to the disturbances.  From Britain he had won nothing for himself or for the City except the glory of having conducted an expedition against that land.  But on this he prided himself greatly and the Romans at home magnified it to a remarkable degree.  Seeing that the formerly unknown had become certain and the previously unheard of accessible, they regarded the hope arising from these facts as already realized and exulted over their expected achievements as if the latter were already within their grasp.

[-54-] Hence they voted to celebrate a thanksgiving for twenty days:  but while that was taking place there was an uprising in Spain, which was consequently assigned to Pompey’s care.  Some tribes had revolted and obtained the help of the Vaccaei:  while still unprepared they were conquered by Metellus Nepos, but as he was besieging Clunia they assailed him, proved themselves his superiors, and won back the city; at another time they were beaten, though without being enslaved or anything like it.  In fact, they so far surpassed their opponents in numbers that Nepos was glad to remain quiet and not run any risks.

[-55-] About this same time Ptolemy, although the Romans voted not to assist him and were even now highly indignant at the bribery he had instituted, was nevertheless restored and got back the kingdom.  Pompey and Gabinius effected this.  So much power did official authority and abundance have as against the decrees of the people and the senate that when Pompey sent orders to Gabinius, then governor of Syria, the latter immediately put his army in motion.  So the former out of kindness and the latter through corrupt influence restored the king contrary to the wish of the commonwealth, paying no heed either to it or to the utterances of the Sibyl.  Gabinius was later brought to trial for this, but on account of Pompey’s influence and the money at his command was not convicted.  Public administration had so deteriorated among the